Buckle.



W. LOWRY.

BUCKLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1909 1,009,845. Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM LOWRY, OF WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN.

BUCKLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LOWRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waukesha, county of Waukesha, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in buckles, with particular reference to that class of buckles which are used as trace buckles for harnesses, although my invention is also applicable with slight modifications in other relations.

The object of my invention is to provide a form of buckle in which the several straps may be secured without stitching, and one of the straps easily detached without releasing the others, the means for detachment being such as to afford a ready means of release for a trace or heavy strap without any delicate manipulations, the buckle being of such a character that the strap may be readily released even though the lingers of the operator are numb with cold.

In the following description, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front elevation of a trace buckle embodying my invention, showing the longitudinal straps in cross section. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 8 is a plan view with the locking cap in raised position and with the trace strap and hame strap partially broken away near the central portion of the buckle. Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing a slightly modified form of construction, adapted to be used for shawl straps, etc.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

A channeled member A is provided with a centrally disposed upwardly projecting pin B and also with a similar downwardly projecting pin C, these two pins being preferably composed of a single member or red inserted through the bottom of the member A. A locking member is hinged to the member A by a pintle CZ, which extends transversely of the member A above the bottom and connects the side walls of said member. The trace strap F and hame strap G are provided with suitable pin receiving apertures and the strap G is passed under a cross bar H at the front end of the mem- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 22, 1909.

Patented Nov. 28, 1911.

Serial No. 484,892.

her A and also under the pintle d which also serves as a cross bar and is arranged with the pin B extending through one of the apertures in the strap as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This strap can only be released by causing it to buckle upwardly between the pintle (Z and the cross bar H. The locking member is composed of a cap plate D and side plates D, the cap plate bein shorter than the side )lates and centrally disposed and connected with the upper margins of the side plates. These side plates D are in a position to inclose the side walls of the member A as clearly shown in F 1g. 1, and are provided with in- 'de11ted front end margins a, which are adapted to engage resiliently over similar indentations or projections a 011 the side {walls of the member A, thus securing the locking member in its closed position, where it can only be released by outward pressure applied at its front end.

When the locking member 1s 111 its open position, as shown in Fig. 2, the trace strap F may be passed between the cap plate 1) and the pintle (Z and manipulated to a position with the pin 13 extending through one of the strap apertures b, the strap being then locked in position 011 this pin by swinging the locking member to locking position, with the indentations a engaging the projections a on the member A. The front end of the trace strap is, however, preferably provided with a metallic member M, having a hooked projection N engaging in the slot formed in a member 0, which embraces the strap G and is movable longitudinally of said strap. The hook N is manipulated into position by bending the strap F to enable it to be inserted under the portion P of the member 0 into the slot Q3. The object of this connection between the extremity of the trace strap F and the strap Q is to prevent the end of the trace strap from hanging outwardly in an unsightly manner. It also adds to the security with which this strap is held by the buckle.

The buckle is supported from the harness saddle by means of a depending strap or billet I, the buckle being provided with foot yokes J, through which this strap is passed and engaged by the pin C, which is adapted to enter suitable apertures in the strap. It will be observed that this strap passed underneath the member A. A leather member It, provided with slots S, is preferably adjusted to the strap I and passed under the foot pieces J, thus preventing the metallic portions of the buckle from coming into contact with other portions of the harness or with the body of the horse.

By leaving ofi the foot pieces J, the device may be used for shawl straps, etc., as shown in Fig. 4. In this view, the respective ends of the shawl strap are designated by the reference characters F and G respectively and the sides of the locking member are designated the reference character D, the pintle being indicated at cl and the locking pin being illustrated at B. In this construction, the downwardly project ing pin will, of course, be omitted.

It will be understood that the cap plate D of the locking member occupies a position in front of the pivot pin (Z, when the looking member is in looking position, and it is therefore impossible to release the trace strap by any pull or buckling movement exerted upon this strap from the rear. It is also substantially impossible to move the locking member to released position by any pressure applied directly thereto, since the cap plate 1) rests flat upon the strap F and any pressure applied to the sides D only tends to make these members grip the sides of the member A with increasing pressure, the walls D being formed of resilient material. By moving the member 0 toward the buckle, however, and bending the front end of the strap F upwardly until the hook N is released from the member 0 and then pulling outwardly upon the extremity of the strap F, the locking member is very easily moved to unlocking posit-ion, whereupon the trace strap being above the cross bar H may be readily pulled from the pin B and thus released. I attach great importance to the fact that said members A and D D are connected to each other at one end and have spring latch connection at the other end, the hinged connection being at the end at which the trace strap is inserted in the device, since by thus connecting these members, an accidental movement of the locking member to releasing position becomes impossible.

It will be observed that the side flanges of the base member A and the flanges D of the locking member extend beyond the bottom, and beyond the cover member or cap plate D respectively, and the cross pin (Z and cross bar H are located near the ends of the side flanges of the base member, so that the end of a strap may be passed upwardly over the bottom of the base member and between it and the pin (Z or the cross bar II. By thus permitting the strap to be passed through at an angle, it may be read ily inserted in the position occupied by the strap G in the drawings and adjusted over the pin B Without difiiculty. I am also enabled to raise the cap plate D to a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2, since the cap plate will not strike the strap F when the cover member is raised. The strap F may also be readily manipulated through the space between the cap plate D and the cross pin (Z, for the reason that it may be inserted at an angle instead of passing it through in a horizontal plane, which would cause the end of the strap to engage the pin B.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A buckle, the combination of a base member having a flat bottom and raised side flanges extending beyond the ends of the bottom, cross bars connecting said side flanges beyond and above the ends of the bottom, a pin extending upwardly from the central portion of the bottom and a locking member comprising side flanges pivoted at one end to one of said cross bars and having a cover plate connecting the central portions of the upper margins of said side flanges above said bottom, said side flanges being adapted for spring latch connection with the side flanges of the base member near the end opposite that to which the locking member is pivoted, and the ends of the base member and locking member being open and adapted to permit the insertion of a plurality of straps longitudinally through the base member above and below the cross bars.

2. In a device of the described class, the combination of a base member having a bottom and raised sides connected near their respective ends and above the bottom by cross bars, a pin extending upwardly from the bottom, and a locking member having one end hinged to one of the cross bars and adapted for spring latch connection with the base member near its other end, the ends of the base member and locking member being open and adapted to permit the insertion of straps longitudinally through the base member above and below the cross bars, together with a set of foot yokes connected with the base member, and a pin depending from the bottom of said member, said foot yokes being adapted to permit the manipulation of a transverse strap therethrough and into engagement with said pin.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM LOWVRY.

Witnesses:

LEVERETT C. WHEELER,

0. R. ERWIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

